“I think things will get interesting,” I comment to Kelsey as I edge a little closer to her due to Reed’s gaze settling on us for an instant. I don’t answer his gaze but pretend to search the room. I can’t see my grandfather but I’m sure he will find me when he gets a chance. Kelsey fluffs her hair and I see a satisfied smile play across her glossy lips. I find Reed is staring at her, an unreadable expression on his face.
It only lasts for another brief second, thank God, as I’d hate to confront him about it, and I watch him find a spot on the wall and lean against it. He studies the floor more than his eyes are up, his fists clenching and unclenching. One tattooed arm flexes and his hand pinches his forehead. Maybe he is thinking that Kelsey would have been the better choice… Hmmm, I like that thought, having something he wants, but more likely, he’s probably thinking of how to untangle Satan from a biker beard without initiating World War 3. Sucked in.
“Hey, Hollywood!” Her voice is close, startling me from my vigil of the arsehole. “Thanks for coming and the cheque.” She nods at Kelsey before giving me a hug. Her eyes are so blue. Her breath fans over my face as I lower my head to rest it on her shoulder. I’m certain I detect alcohol. Shit.
It seriously shocks me when I see Sam fit himself next to Noah on the wall and them exchange actual fucking words like they are best buddies or something. Noah laughs at something Sam says. What the actual? I almost want to stride over there and demand to know what the hell is going on? How has this happened?
Noah’s eyes find mine over Av’s shoulder and they are deep, dark pools of malice and warning. I can literally feel the hate slicing through my skin. So much for my idea of him being interested in Kelsey, but I don’t throw that theory under the bus as I watch his gaze slide sideways to land on my girlfriend again.
I pull Av in for another hug and it is not only to lure his attention away from Kelsey and irk him. I love the feel of it when her arms fold around my back without abandon. “You were awesome today,” I whisper not wanting Kelsey to hear. I reckon she’s ready tear strips off my back where Av is concerned.
“Thanks, of course it veered off the damn rails in the end but, doesn’t matter,” she shrugs, and I notice her movements are a bit less controlled than usual, she tilts a little on her feet. Those vivid eyes focus and refocus on mine. “Did I look all girly soft and stuff?” they widen as she concentrates on Kels. “Thank God, you post so many Instagram thingys, I modelled off you, Kelsey,” she throws my blonde beauty a smile, “so I should be good, right? Like you’d invite me to special things even though I have no clue what they could be?”
I think every male will be dreaming of inviting her for an intimate soiree for the next few weeks. I wish I was staying at my house tonight with her. “Under duress, like usual. I think you just managed pulling off being a girl. What happened at the end? I didn’t get to see,” I try to stop my eyes skidding accusingly to Kelsey who has a smile plastered on her face. Feminine jealousy. I try not to shake my head. Kind of feels good though.
“Frank thought he saw Voldemort,” Av grins and chuckles, “so bloody bolted after him like a bat out of hell ready to pulverize him, there were no casualties, so no probs.”
“Is that including the whole bridge episode too?” I ask, not sure whether the ‘no casualties’ spanned her whole adventure.
She laughs evilly and makes no effort to clear anything up. Her peachy skin is covered with various shades of lipstick from kisses. I reach and pick of a bit of flaky pink lipstick that was probably made in the nineteen twenties.
“Hopefully, this venture won’t follow suit,” Kelsey sounds like she pushed those word through her smiling teeth with force. Wow, she really has been affected by this Avalon stuff. She is so different alone and not in competition. I remember my times first going up against Av and the horrid feeling that descended over me. As a girl, it’s probably worse. I snake an arm around Kelsey’s waist and squeeze her encouragingly. I wonder if I tell her Av is not at all worried about beauty stuff will it make her feel better… or worse?
Noah focuses on Kelsey again. My stomach drops slightly.
Av laughs and nearly tips over backwards, I just manage to steady her in time, “Probably will go off the rails, Irene and Gwen got Nathan to smuggle them in some ‘Ease the Nerves’ tonic ingredients. Made us all chug some of this miracle chill out potion… multiple times,” She mimics swigging from a liquor flask, and I can actually smell a few of the ingredients now. Av drinking? I’m sad to say I’m more than a little scared. “Turns out it should be renamed ‘Kills all nerves for your entire lifetime’. Between Frank’s lacey bra set and that drink it will make the whole thing for Gerald more than exciting anyway. I hope he doesn’t go into cardiac arrest. Might have to pop an over 18 sign on the door with what they were saying behind the stage! My poor ears. Sam nearly spontaneously combusted when Gwen shimmied her gown up her leg for a teaser.”
Kelsey looks shocked that old people would drink or maybe that someone would ‘smuggle’ some to give to them. Sam and old people. Sam and many things about people. Sam and Noah.
“I didn’t know you drank,” I frown down at her.
“I don’t unless Nat’s around,” she searches around until her gaze lands on the man I got a glimpse of on Sam’s phone. He’s bloody big and when his blue eyes find his sister’s I can see they are exactly the same hue. He bestows on me a quick scan than dismisses me, his eyes dismiss Kelsey in even less time with a distinct curl of his lip. An exact replica of the curl of lip that Avalon gave to her mother.
“Snapshot for my wall,” Av turns around so she’s in between me and Kelsey and holds up her phone to snap a selfie type photo of us all. “Damn, we’re only missing your mum!” Av scoffs as she looks at the screen, Kelsey peers closer probably wanting to okay the shot. I don’t think Av would sit through fifty shots to discover the perfect one. Kelsey asks to take one as well, so we pose yet again.
“Mum is… still… recovering from … everything,” I hedge not wanting Kelsey to catch wind of what Av did to mum and her guests apart from the dinner explosion. That I knew about it and didn’t intercede, wouldn’t go down too well. Kelsey actually likes my mother. I remember that night outside with Av, how she said I was an angel. I smile at her as she cracks up for a good minute. “I should have got some for Gerald. Damn it. Would have rocked Gwen’s night!”
I scowl at the thought, and how long that bloody stuff lasted. “It’s better that you didn’t. Believe me.”
“Yeah, better to be blue than that! Anyway, better go see my monster,” Av takes a step backwards after recovering from her fit of laughter. She wobbles slightly. “And hey, you have to film your Pop for your mother. He’s got the moves coming big time! You’ll see where this one gets it from, Kels!”
God, no.
over thinking
Noah
Parking down the road from the address Av texted me earlier, I lay my head on the steering wheel and just inhale. I’m so tired that I can hardly think straight. My phones beeps again and instantly a fresh tremor of rage assaults my very bones.
I breathe in and out from my nose a few times, desperately trying to dissipate the clawing anger that is seeping along every vein. Another text from an unknown number. I don’t open it. I know what it will be. Another photo of Avalon from today looking provocative as fuck, another request for her number, for me to tell them what is like to have her riding me or a list of things they would like to do to her. I am a walking time bomb with no target.
My hand grips my phone so hard that the screen splinters into a galaxy of tiny shards.
I had had it under control, after seeing the cardboard me. It kept me sane, but with all these photos of her, that rain droplet’s path is seered into my skull. God. Kill me now. I seriously don’t know whether I should walk into the hall. I feel like a grenade without its pin.
Jarrod spent the walk back to the shop informing me on how ‘especially after today’s ‘show’ he deems – as some
one that only has the best possible outcomes in mind for me – that it would be better in future to be on the hunt for a normal girl. A safer choice. He said it wouldn’t be bad as the waitress thing, that I could pick out the girl. Once I talked to them, I’d be right.
He described how it would be, how she would be, how I wouldn’t have to worry and that he would help me transition after I left Av, or she left. I hadn’t muttered a single word. While a lot of what he said made sense in my volatile case; it all boils down to nothing as fact is, I love her. And just thinking of her leaving hur,t let alone the bombardment of picturing myself with a girl that I didn’t have to worry being attracted to. But anyway, I left unsaid the one fact he kept losing over; that poor Miss Normal would probably be terrified of me. Just like Avalon might be if I can’t control myself.
Soon after he left, the messages began. I opened the first one to be confronted with an image of a still from today that was sexy as hell, my body reacted instantly as I stared at it. I have never ever felt that way before about an image. I end up deleting it feeling dirty. The onslaught however, had only just begun. The things that were said, I feel extremely dangerous right now. If someone made a move on her tonight, they would be a focus for everything consuming me right now. If they were recognisable afterwards, I’d be very surprised.
I drag in one more breath and open the car door, my hands shaking slightly. Quite a few people are making their way towards the hall and with each step closer to her I start to worry about what my body will do. I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. I literally feel like one misconstrued look I will… explode… well, so Jarrod has me believing. And not from other people. I mean from Avalon. His advice of arm’s length for a while seems sound.
I doubt this is something a ‘normal’ guy would have to do; prepare to meet his girlfriend and despair at images like that being sent to his phone.
Stepping into the crowded hall I search for her, my breath held tight in my chest along with any emotions that might lead to a wrong action. It takes me a while in the crowded hall and I hear her before I see her. She’s in a very chirpy mood, she must be still on a high from her day and excited to do this. She’s hiding in one of the guys from the Kings bar’s beard, acting like she’s on the run from a lion or something. I watch him intently, to make sure he his above board before I let my eyes stray to their mark. She’s singing something about Doctor Jones, I have no idea who he is. Probably some doctor from the hostel. Doubt the Doc will come for her in that guy’s beard, I can’t believe the turn around from his attitude in the bar that night. It feels so long ago.
She’s covered head to toe in a long black robe and I feel a wash of reprieve. Relief and foolishness. I really don’t know what I was expecting, but my jelly mind was not even entertaining the thought of her being fully clothed. To be honest, I think I was expecting her to be bloody naked or in something akin to the chick on back of the toilet door at work. It seems ludicrous now. I glance around and see a few familiar faces from the bar in King’s Cross and then clock a load of Seth and his girl.
I remember him whispering to me that he was going to marry her when he was older because she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Back then she was visiting with her family and hadn’t wanted to go outside without her sun cream as the sun would give her wrinkles. Seth made me wait with him, it looked laborious all the time taken to cover every exposed millimetre of her.
She certainly wouldn’t fit into Jarrod’s plain-arsed girl parameters. After our falling out, I had mentally tagged her as my first conquest when I planned to take every aspect of his life down. I stare at her, not even knowing how I would have made myself do that. She is so still and poised, exuding an untouchable kind of vibe, kind of like a breakable crystal vase on a shelf in a jeweler’s. I would have never been able to even get it together enough to smile at her; in my experience girls like that can own acid tongues and I’ve seen many guys taken down a good peg or two for even thinking of approaching them. On the other hand, there’s no way she would have chased me or made a move to touch me. She smiles shyly as her eyes meet mine. I blink, surprised.
I find a niche against the wall and lean back, trying to just breathe and relax and stop thinking about basically everything but being calm and normal. I tell myself I’m fine, that I’m just tired from last night, that this emotional day will be in the past once I’ve had a good sleep. I will be fine. I won’t rearrange Seth’s bone structure. No one will hurt Avalon. No one will get to her here. I won’t hurt Avalon. I’m fine. I. Am. Fine.
Avalon is over with them when my eyes pull my gaze that way and I see the strain around Kelsey’s mouth as she smiles. I hate how that smug arsehole is able to hug anyone and everyone including my girl without an ounce of stress, I glare at him. Wishing he’d die. A painful death. Part of me wants to grant my own wish. The vestiges of rage run the length of my body.
I look sideways at the trio only to find the blue gaze of the attractive blonde. She’s watching me and again shoots me a small tentative smile. Maybe she remembers me from when we were young. As Seth’s arm snakes around her waist I wonder if she even likes being touched. I think my conquest goal would have met with some interesting speed humps. I sigh, I know deep down I would never have been able to go through with it.
I wonder if Seth gets messages like I have received today. How does he cope? Least Av can protect herself, guess I’m lucky that way. And she has Nathan. And Av doesn’t go out to actually be like that every day.
“She’s a sly undercover, sneaky bitch,” Sam says sliding in next to me. “I’m probably the only guy that can’t even stand looking at her.”
I laugh gratefully at the distraction. “That must absolutely destroy her.” I say thinking of a couple of remarks made by guys over the years in regard to girls like that. I really have no idea.
“It does,” Sam smirks. “Imagine a guy not wanting to stare drooling at her all day long. How fucking world-ending. Did you get to see our girl today?”
I swallow, nodding. Our girl. For some reason it doesn’t annoy me. I try not to think of myself practically drooling over the first photo of Thornie. I’m wrong.
“Totally shoved it up Miss Universe’s arse,” Sam growls in victory. “I would have loved to see her face when Av did the part with the water. That was smokin’! Would have nearly been as good as seeing that parasite practically choke on her fake smile handing the cheque over.”
I chuckle at his vehemence and am happy that Av put us through the fruit bonding thing. I look at him and find myself smiling. I half want to tell him about the messages because he seems so open about his admiration, but he might think I’m deranged being so affected by them.
“You look tired,” I state, trying to find something friendly to say to keep this thing up.
“I’m ragged,” he replies, then raises his eyebrows at me. “Aren’t you? Cause, mate, you bloody look like death warmed up.”
I nod, suppressing a yawn and the image of me next to my father from last night. Death warmed up alright. “I’m lucky to be standing.”
“Knew it. I am the Reed-o-meter,” he clenches his fist.
The puzzlement I feel must grace my face.
“Too many years reading your body language, kept me alive and bones unbroken on many occasions,” he raises an eyebrow.
“It was a fair fight,” I start.
“Maybe in the beginning,” he looks back at Av. “Life with the Smith’s,” he laments. “Wouldn’t change a second of it even for the chance to fondle Miss Golden’s tits.”
I grin and suddenly feel looser. Maybe I am a bit normal because, obviously, I noticed them too. Not that I thought about fondling them. I deliberately slam my brain from accessing the pictures sent to me.
D and Av’s other friends’ wave at us from across the room as they seat themselves in a row. Chops seems relaxed in their company. D leans in to talk to him about something that makes him laugh. It seems alien to nod to them.
Av is walking oddly towards us now, her legs look to be straight and flung wide out either side, her cheeks flushed and pink and when our eyes meet, I can see the joy and eagerness alight in every part of her. Everything seems to blur and people either side of my fade into dim shapes as she moves towards me. I feel my lips break into a smile and my heartbeat unevenly as her grin encompasses me. As she is in range, she tries to launch herself into my arms, but I catch her and hold her at arm’s length terrified of feeling her body against mine. I do not trust myself. Confusion slips over her face, then something else but it is there and gone in a mere second. She straightens with a smile. A strange feminine smell of marshmallows mixed with animal sweat tickles my nose, intoxicating me. I allow her to move a little closer, until she has sneakily wrapped her arms around me.
“Oh God, you smell amazing!” she sighs contently, her whole body relaxing against me so dramatically I fight to keep her from sliding down my length onto the floor in a puddle. Her scent is almost making me dizzy. I concentrate on my breathing. “I could just stay right here forever. So much better than cardboard.”
Some of the pent-up rage seeps from me like mist. I remember the ‘non-real me’ from the broadcast. “You did it, Thornster! And you were…” I hesitate not wanting to say something wrong about watching her on TV and come across like a crazy. I stick with something safe, “Amazing.” I put my lips against her sweet-smelling hair and inhale trying to decipher her reaction to my words. She just smiles into my bicep. I breathe a sigh of relief. Should I keep going?
Avalon Expandable Heart: The Wild Heart Series Page 49